In Morocco, the NOOR solar project is moving forward. Moroccan Agency for Solar Energy (MASEN) identified the second wave of sites that are to host solar plants of NOOR PV II. These include Taroudant, Kalaat Seraghna, Bejaad, Guercif and El Hajeb which should join Ouarzazate, Midelt Tata, Laâyoune and Boujdour if topographic, geotechnical, sesmic, hydrologic and hydrogeologic studies are conclusive. The agency has in fact launched four calls to tenders to get the firm which will conduct the studies.

Construction contracts related to the development of solar plants (with a combined capacity of 560 MW) at Noor Midelt ( NOORm I) are presently being awarded. One or more mixed plants (thermal-solar and photovoltaic) should be built in this framework.

Noor Ouarzazate (NOORo) is also quite advanced, with the commissioning of NOORo I plant, which has a capacity of 160 MW. NOORo II and NOORo III, which have 200 MW and 150 MW of capacities respectively, are already being built.

NOOR will allow for the development of solar plants totaling a capacity of 2000 MW. The project is part of the kingdom’s target to add 5,000 MW of solar energy, by 2030 and bring renewable’s share in energy mix to 52%, 20% being solar.

For its part, MASEN spent in 2015, half of its capital, $30 million, to acquire a 50% stake in Alsolen. The result of this transaction is Masen-Alcen, a joint-venture which specializes in thermodynamic solar technologies. The new firm should develop its first site in Morocco, by 2017.

Gwladys Johnson